Safety device for electric circuits



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I H. LEMP.

S'A FBTY DEVICE FOR ELBOTRIG CIRCUITS. No. 421,177. Patented Feb-.11, 1890.

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H. .LEMP. SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC qmcm'rs.

No. 421,177. Patented Feb-11,1890.

A TTORNEY IL min. mkw W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN LEMP, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSE TS, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSON- HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,177, dated February 11, 1890.

Application filed June 14, 1889- Serial No. 314,252. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMANN LEMP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Safety Device for High-Potential Electric Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric safety ap- I0 pliances for use in connection with electric lines or circuits carrying currents of dangerously-high tension and having a series of translating devices in a complete metallic circuit leading from one pole to the other of the generator. I

The object of my invention is to aiford effectual protection against damage or injury to persons or animals from contact or con nection with any portion of the metallic cir- 2o cuit in case of breakage of the same at any point. I am aware that it has been hereto fore proposed to place in one pole of an elec tric circuit a disconnecting appliance controlled by a magnet charged over the electric 2 5 circuit and adapted to open such circuit when the conducting-line is broken and the broken ends drop into the street orinto position where they may be touched or come into contact with any one.

My invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with a series of translating devices placed on an electric conductingwire leading from one pole to the other of a source, of an automatic disconnector at each termi- 3 5 nal or pole of the metallic portion of the linecircuit, including the translating devices, and an electro-magnet for each diseonnector, each electro-magnet being normally charged over the line-circuit and adapted to free or cause c the operation of the disconnector in case the line breaks. The disconnector may be an electric-circuit breaker of any suitable or proper description, combined with a retractor adapted to throw the same into circuit-opening position. The action of the retractor may be restrained normallybymeans of the charged electrounaguct in the line-circuit acting directly or indirectly upon such disconn ector. By a*retracto1" I mean any mechanism or device which will move the disconnector from a position where the connection of the source with the line is closed to a position where such connection will be opened. The controller magnet which is placed in the normal connection may act in Various ways, as is well understood by electricians. Some of the ways are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

My invention likewise consists in an improved form of disconnecting appliance combined with a retractor and solenoid or electro-inagnet in the manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the application of my invention to electric lines or circuits supplied in multiple from suitable mains and each carrying translating devices in series. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the disconnector and electro-magnet. Fig. 3 is a plan of a modification.

Referring to Fig. 1, three lines 1 2 are in dicated, each deriving electrical energy from a source, such as mains M M, that are charged by a dynamoanachine A, or other suit able generator. Each line 1 2 3 contains a number of translating devices, as shown, in series.

At the points a b c are shown the disconnecting and controlling devices of my invention. These disconnectors are applied in the connection of the lines with the source of energy, as indicated, and normally preserve the connection; but should any line, as line 3, break at a point Z) .the disconnector will automatically and immediately come into action and sever the connection of the line 3 with the source, such as the main M or M.

A construction of disconnector or switch suitable for the purpose is shown in Fig. 2 en- 0 larged, where l is a fork or piece of copper or good conducting material adapted to dip into two mercury-cups D D to complete the connection 3. The cups D D are in the circuit between the source and the line, and the 5 mercury in each is preferably covered with oil, so as to insure a quick break and good subsequent insulation.

II. indicates the coils of an electro-magnet, the core B of which is constructed in any suit 10o able manner. The disconnector F is carried by said core, as indicated.

S is a spring, which operates as a retractor to lift the core, and thereby operate the disconnector, so as to sever the connection of the line and source. The coils H of the electromagnet are in the normal circuit with the line and are charged by the current passing over the same.

To establish the connection with the line the disconnector and core are depressed by hand, so as to close the circuit through the disconnector F, thus charging the electromagnet, and allowing at the same time current to pass over the circuit. The disconnector is held out of operation by the power of the magnet. Should the line be interrupt ed, as would occur on rupture,as indicated at l), the magnet being discharged will immediately permit the rctractor to move the disconnector into the position indicated in Fig.

2, thus disconnecting the line-wire from the source.

As will be seen, an automatic disconnector is introduced between each pole or terminal of the portion of circuit including the series of translating devices and the source. By thus placing a disconnector at each side of the series of translating devices included in a portion of line or circuit liable to break and come into contact with extraneous objects 1 o insure absolute safety from damage by current passing from the dynamo, whereas if the disconnector were applied at one end only of the portion of line containing such translating devices a break of line and operation 3 5 of such disconnector would still leave the portion of line at the opposite side of the break still connected to the dynamo and liable to do damage to any one touching it.

While the form of apparatus hereinbefore described is a simple and effective one, I do not limit myself to that special construction, and in all cases it will be understood that the disconnecting or switch device itself is capable of endless variation.

Another form of mechanism that. may be used is illustrated in Fig. 3,.where the disconnector is shown as a lever F, bearing eontact-springs at opposite ends, which normally make connection with the plates D D so as to complete the connection between the line and its source over the lever F. The contro1- ler-magnet H has an armature which normally engages with a detent-arm F connected with the disconnector F. In the position of the parts shown the magnet ll being charged holds the disconnector F from operation by the spring S or weight W by engagement of the detent F with the end of the armature-lever for magnet II. On inter- 6o ruption of the line at any point the magnet H loses its power and its retractor moves the armature away from position where it will hold the detent F thus permitting the disconnector to operate.

It will of course be understood that the retractors for the disconnector-magnets, Figs. 1 and 2, are adjusted so that while any of the translating devices are in circuit, or while the line is in use and current flowing over the same, the magnets will overcome such retractor and the interruption will only take place 011 interruption of the circuit through the translating devices. In the same way it will be obvious that the retractor of the controller-magnet, Fig. 8, would be adjusted in the same manner to cause an interruption of the circuit at the points of the switch or disconnector only 011 an interruption of the circuit of the controller-magnet at another point.

Myinvention is adapted for use on circuits carrying alternating electric currents, as well as upon continnous-current circuits.

I am aware that it has been before proposed to apply a disconnector in one of two main wires leading from opposite poles of a generator and adapted to supply electric devices in multiple, and I do not therefore wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, the use of a disconnector operating in the manner before described.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, substantially as de scribed, of a source of current of dangerously-high tension, a series of translating devices in a metallic line circuit or connection leading from one pole to the other of the source and liable to breakage, disconnectors placed, respectively, between the two poles or terminals of such line and the electric source and normally held in closed-circuit position, and two controller-magnetsone for each disconnector placed in the charged line circuit leading from the source through the translating devices and between opposite poles of the source and opposite terminals of the series of translating devices, respectively, and retractors tending to operate the disconnectors and adapted to cause the circuit to open when the conducting-line is broken at any point in the series of translating devices.

2. The combination, substantially as described, with an electric line fed with currents of dangerously-high tension and liable to make dangerous connection if broken, of a circuit closer and breaker included in the connection between the source and such line, a movable magnet-core sustaining one member of such circuit closer and breaker, a coil surrounding such core and placed in the linecircuit, whereby the core may be held in position to close the circuit, and a spring from which the core depends and which is applied in the manner described to lift the core and break the connection between the source and line when the line-circuit fails or breaks, so as to interrupt the flow of current. in the mag net-coils.

Signed at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, this 11th day of June, A. D. 1889.

HERMANN LEMP.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN W. GIBBONEY, DANIEL M. BARTON.

IIO 

